2018 was a significant year in fundraising for the re-election campaign of Governor John Bel Edwards, raising $3.8 million, bringing his total campaign account to over $8.3 million. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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President Trump speaks to the nation tonight about border security. Matt Doyle has reaction from a Republican and a Democrat.
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According to his re-election campaign, Gov. John Bel Edwards raised $3.8 million in 2018 and enters 2019 with $8.3 million in the bank for the race. UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says that’s a significant number for the Governor.
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Cross says this indicates that any challengers who can’t raise about ten million dollars will not be competitive in the race.
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A report from the campaign indicates that 87% of the money came from in-state donors. Cross says Edwards will remain active on the campaign fundraising trail.
One of Edwards’ announced challengers, Eddie Rispone’s gubernatorial campaign says the Baton Rouge Republican has 5.5 million dollars in his campaign account. No word yet from the other Republican challenger Ralph Abraham.
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President Trump will address the nation at 8PM to lay out his case for increased funding for border security in the midst of a government shutdown over the President’s demand for 5.7 billion in funding for a physical border wall. Republican Congressman Garret Graves says we do not need another Great Wall, but additional physical structures would decrease illegal border crossings.
Graves says additional border security is necessary due to the presence of Central American cartels on the Mexican side that he says are responsible for the vast majority of opioids in America, and other criminal activity.
But Democrats refuse to pass a spending bill that includes border wall funding, calling it wasteful and unnecessary. Democratic New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond says the House will not force taxpayers to waste their money on the President’s campaign slogan.
Richmond says those funds should go towards social programs like paid maternity leave.
The President says building the wall would make America safer, but Richmond says those claims just aren’t true, and utilizing modern methods, like those called for by the Department of Homeland Security, would be a better border plan.
Graves agreed that a border security plan should also lean on modern technology over just a wall.
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A candlelight vigil was held yesterday at Marksville High School as the Avoyelles Parish community came together to mourn those affected by the deadly wreck in Florida that claimed the lives of five children last week. Avoyelles House of Mercy Pastor Eric Descant called into the gathering from Florida to address those in attendance.
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Descant took a moment to show his appreciation to those that have shown support for the community.
Governor John Bel Edwards spoke about the wreck at the Baton Rouge Press Club yesterday, saying he’s been praying for the community and he has been in touch with church leaders over the weekend.
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After rising through the ranks for 28 years in the New Orleans Police Department, Superintendent Michael Harrison is leaving for Baltimore to take the reins as its Police Commissioner. New Orleans only recorded 146 murders in 2018, the lowest since 1971. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says Harrison’s departure is a loss, but
Dubos says because of Harrison’s many years of service with the N-O-P-D, he had the backing of rank-and-file officers and city leaders…